THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M. A. F. R. S. 

 CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY

 TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARYMAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M. A. LATE FELLOW AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE

 (Unabridged)

 WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES

 EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY

 HENRY B. WHEATLEY F. S. A. 

 DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. DECEMBER 1668

December 1st. Up, and to the office, where sat all the morning, and atnoon with my people to dinner, and so to the office, very busy till night, and then home and made my boy read to me Wilkins's Reall Character, whichdo please me mightily, and so after supper to bed with great pleasure andcontent with my wife. This day I hear of poor Mr. Clerke, the solicitor, being dead, of a cold, after being not above two days ill, which troublesme mightily, poor man!

2nd. Up, and at the office all the morning upon some accounts of Sir D. Gawden, and at noon abroad with W. Hewer, thinking to have found Mr. Wrenat Captain Cox's, to have spoke something to him about doing a favour forWill's uncle Steventon, but missed him. And so back home and abroad withmy wife, the first time that ever I rode in my own coach, which do make myheart rejoice, and praise God, and pray him to bless it to me and continueit. So she and I to the King's playhouse, and there sat to avoid seeingKnepp in a box above where Mrs. Williams happened to be, and there saw"The Usurper;" a pretty good play, in all but what is designed to resembleCromwell and Hugh Peters, which is mighty silly. The play done, we toWhite Hall; where my wife staid while I up to the Duchesse's and Queen'sside, to speak with the Duke of York: and here saw all the ladies, andheard the silly discourse of the King, with his people about him, tellinga story of my Lord Rochester's having of his clothes stole, while he waswith a wench; and his gold all gone, but his clothes found afterwardsstuffed into a feather bed by the wench that stole them. I spoke with theDuke of York, just as he was set down to supper with the King, about oursending of victuals to Sir Thomas Allen's fleet hence to Cales [Cadiz] tomeet him. And so back to my wife in my coach, and so with great contentand joy home, where I made my boy to make an end of the Reall Character, which I begun a great while ago, and do please me infinitely, and indeedis a most worthy labour, and I think mighty easy, though my eyes make meunable to attempt any thing in it. To-day I hear that Mr. Ackworth'scause went for him at Guildhall, against his accusers, which I am wellenough pleased with. 

3rd. Up betimes, and by water with W. Hewer to White Hall, and there toMr. Wren, who gives me but small hopes of the favour I hoped for Mr. Steventon, Will's uncle, of having leave, being upon the point of death, to surrender his place, which do trouble me, but I will do what I can. Soback again to the Office, Sir Jer. Smith with me; who is a silly, prating, talking man; but he tells me what he hears, that Holmes and Spragg nowrule all with the Duke of Buckingham, as to seabusiness, and will be greatmen: but he do prophesy what will be the fruit of it; so I do. So to theOffice, where we sat all the morning; and at noon home to dinner, and thenabroad again, with my wife, to the Duke of York's playhouse, and saw "TheUnfortunate Lovers;" a mean play, I think, but some parts very good, andexcellently acted. We sat under the boxes, and saw the fine ladies; amongothers, my Lady Kerneguy, a who is most devilishly painted. And so home, it being mighty pleasure to go alone with my poor wife, in a coach of ourown, to a play, and makes us appear mighty great, I think, in the world;at least, greater than ever I could, or my friends for me, have onceexpected; or, I think, than ever any of my family ever yet lived, in mymemory, but my cozen Pepys in Salisbury Court. So to the office, andthence home to supper and to bed. 

4th. Up, and with W. Hewer by water to White Hall, and there did wait asusual upon the Duke of York, where, upon discoursing something touchingthe Ticket-Office, which by letter the Board did give the Duke of Yorktheir advice, to be put upon Lord Brouncker, Sir J. Minnes did foolishlyrise up and complain of the Office, and his being made nothing of; andthis before Sir Thomas Littleton, who would be glad of this differenceamong us, which did trouble me mightily; and therefore I did forbear tosay what I otherwise would have thought fit for me to say on thisoccasion, upon so impertinent a speech as this doting fool made--but, Isay, I let it alone, and contented myself that it went as I advised, as tothe Duke of York's judgment, in the thing disputed. And so thence away, my coach meeting me there and carrying me to several places to do littlejobs, which is a mighty convenience, and so home, where by invitation Ifind my aunt Wight, who looked over all our house, and is mighty pleasedwith it, and indeed it is now mighty handsome, and rich in furniture. Byand by comes my uncle, and then to dinner, where a venison pasty and verymerry, and after dinner I carried my wife and her to Smithfield, wherethey sit in the coach, while Mr. Pickering, who meets me there, and I, andW. Hewer, and a friend of his, a jockey, did go about to see several pairsof horses, for my coach; but it was late, and we agreed on none, but leftit to another time: but here I do see instances of a piece of craft andcunning that I never dreamed of, concerning the buying and choosing ofhorses. So Mr. Pickering, to whom I am much beholden for his kindnessherein, and I parted; and I with my people home, where I left them, and Ito the office, to meet about some business of Sir W. Warren's accounts, where I vexed to see how ill all the Comptroller's business is likely togo on, so long as ever Sir J. Minnes lives; and so troubled I was, that Ithought it a good occasion for me to give my thoughts of it in writing, and therefore wrote a letter at the Board, by the help of a tube, to LordBrouncker, and did give it him, which I kept a copy of, and it may be ofuse to me hereafter to shew, in this matter. This being done, I home tomy aunt, who supped with us, and my uncle also: and a good-humoured womanshe is, so that I think we shall keep her acquaintance; but mighty proudshe is of her wedding-ring, being lately set with diamonds; cost her aboutL12: and I did commend it mightily to her, but do not think it verysuitable for one of our quality. After supper they home, and we to bed. 

5th. Up, after a little talk with my wife, which troubled me, she beingever since our late difference mighty watchful of sleep and dreams, andwill not be persuaded but I do dream of Deb. , and do tell me that I speakin my dreams and that this night I did cry, Huzzy, and it must be she, andnow and then I start otherwise than I used to do, she says, which I knownot, for I do not know that I dream of her more than usual, though Icannot deny that my thoughts waking do run now and then against my willand judgment upon her, for that only is wanting to undo me, being now inevery other thing as to my mind most happy, and may still be so but for myown fault, if I be catched loving any body but my wife again. So up andto the office, and at noon to dinner, and thence to office, where late, mighty busy, and despatching much business, settling papers in my ownoffice, and so home to supper, and to bed. No news stirring, but that myLord of Ormond is likely to go to Ireland again, which do shew that theDuke of Buckingham do not rule all so absolutely; and that, however, weshall speedily have more changes in the Navy: and it is certain that theNonconformists do now preach openly in houses, in many places, and amongothers the house that was heretofore Sir G. Carteret's, in LeadenhallStreete, and have ready access to the King. And now the great dispute is, whether this Parliament or another; and my great design, if I continue inthe Navy, is to get myself to be a Parliament-man. 

6th (Lord's day). Up, and with my wife to church; which pleases memightily, I being full of fear that she would never go to church again, after she had declared to me that she was a Roman Catholique. But thoughI do verily think she fears God, and is truly and sincerely righteous, yetI do see she is not so strictly so a Catholique as not to go to churchwith me, which pleases me mightily. Here Mills made a lazy sermon, uponMoses's meeknesse, and so home, and my wife and I alone to dinner, andthen she to read a little book concerning speech in general, a translationlate out of French; a most excellent piece as ever I read, proving a soulin man, and all the ways and secrets by which nature teaches speech inman, which do please me most infinitely to read. By and by my wife tochurch, and I to my Office to complete my Journall for the last threedays, and so home to my chamber to settle some papers, and so to spend theevening with my wife and W. Hewer talking over the business of the Office, and particularly my own Office, how I will make it, and it will become, ina little time, an Office of ease, and not slavery, as it hath for so manyyears been. So to supper, and to bed. 

7th. Up by candlelight, the first time I have done so this winter, but Ihad lost my labour so often to visit Sir W. Coventry, and not visited himso long, that I was resolved to get time enough, and so up, and with W. Hewer, it being the first frosty day we have had this winter, did walk itvery well to W. Coventry's, and there alone with him an hour talking ofthe Navy, which he pities, but says he hath no more mind to be foundmeddling with the Navy, lest it should do it hurt, as well as him, to befound to meddle with it. So to talk of general things: and telling himthat, with all these doings, he, I thanked God, stood yet; he told me, Yes, but that he thought his continuing in, did arise from his enemies myLord of Buckingham and Arlington's seeing that he cared so little if hewas out; and he do protest to me that he is as weary of the Treasury, asever he was of the Navy. He tells me that he do believe that their heatis over almost, as to the Navy, there being now none left of the old stockbut my Lord Brouncker, J. Minnes, who is ready to leave the world, andmyself. But he tells me that he do foresee very great wants and greatdisorders by reason thereof; insomuch, as he is represented to the King byhis enemies as a melancholy man, and one that is still prophesying illevents, so as the King called him Visionaire, which being told him, hesaid he answered the party, that, whatever he foresaw, he was not afeardas to himself of any thing, nor particularly of my Lord Arlington, so muchas the Duke of Buckingham hath been, nor of the Duke of Buckingham, somuch as my Lord Arlington at this time is. But he tells me that he hathbeen always looked upon as a melancholy man; whereas, others that wouldplease the King do make him believe that all is safe: and so he hath heardmy Lord Chancellor openly say to the King, that he was now a gloriousprince, and in a glorious condition, because of some one accident thathath happened, or some one rub that hath been removed; "when, " says W. Coventry, "they reckoned their one good meal, without considering thatthere was nothing left in the cup board for to-morrow. " After this andother discourse of this kind, I away, and walked to my Lord Sandwich's, and walked with him to White Hall, and took a quarter of an hour's walk inthe garden with him, which I had not done for so much time with him sincehis coming into England; and talking of his own condition, andparticularly of the world's talk of his going to Tangier. I find, if hisconditions can be made profitable and safe as to money, he would go, butnot else; but, however, will seem not averse to it, because offacilitating his other accounts now depending, which he finds hard to getthrough, but yet hath some hopes, the King, he says, speaking very kindlyto him. Thence to a Committee of Tangier, and so with W. Hewer toWestminster to Sir R. Longs office, and so to the Temple, but did nothing, the Auditor not being within, and so home to dinner, and after dinner outagain with my wife to the Temple, and up and down to do a little business, and back again, and so to my office, and did a little business, and sohome, and W. Hewer with me, to read and talk, and so to supper, and thento bed in mighty good humour. This afternoon, passing through Queen'sStreet, I saw pass by our coach on foot Deb. , which, God forgive me, didput me into some new thoughts of her, and for her, but durst not shewthem, and I think my wife did not see her, but I did get my thoughts freeof her soon as I could. 

8th. Up, and Sir H. Cholmly betimes with me, about some accounts andmoneys due to him: and he gone, I to the Office, where sat all themorning; and here, among other things, breaks out the storm W. Hewer and Ihave long expected from the Surveyor, --[Colonel Middleton. ]--about W. Hewer's conspiring to get a contract, to the burdening of the stores withkerseys and cottons, of which he hath often complained, and lately morethan ever; and now he did it by a most scandalous letter to the Board, reflecting on my Office: and, by discourse, it fell to such high wordsbetween him and me, as can hardly ever be forgot; I declaring I wouldbelieve W. Hewer as soon as him, and laying the fault, if there be any, upon himself; he, on the other hand, vilifying of my word and W. Hewer's, calling him knave, and that if he were his clerk, he should lose his ears. At last, I closed the business for this morning with making the thingridiculous, as it is, and he swearing that the King should have right init, or he would lose his place. The Office was cleared of all butourselves and W. Hewer; but, however, the world did by the beginning seewhat it meant, and it will, I believe, come to high terms between us, which I am sorry for, to have any blemish laid upon me or mine, at thistime, though never so unduly, for fear of giving occasion to my realdiscredit: and therefore I was not only all the rest of the morning vexed, but so went home to dinner, where my wife tells me of my Lord Orrery's newplay "Tryphon, " at the Duke of York's house, which, however, I would see, and therefore put a bit of meat in our mouths, and went thither; where, with much ado, at half-past one, we got into a blind hole in the 18d. Place, above stairs, where we could not hear well, but the house infinitefull, but the prologue most silly, and the play, though admirable, yet nopleasure almost in it, because just the very same design, and words, andsense, and plot, as every one of his plays have, any one of which alonewould be held admirable, whereas so many of the same design and fancy dobut dull one another; and this, I perceive, is the sense of every bodyelse, as well as myself, who therefore showed but little pleasure in it. So home, mighty hot, and my mind mightily out of order, so as I could noteat any supper, or sleep almost all night, though I spent till twelve atnight with W. Hewer to consider of our business: and we find it not onlymost free from any blame of our side, but so horrid scandalous on theother, to make so groundless a complaint, and one so shameful to him, thatit could not but let me see that there is no need of my being troubled;but such is the weakness of my nature, that I could not help it, whichvexes me, showing me how unable I am to live with difficulties. 

9th. Up, and to the Office, but did little there, my mind being stilluneasy, though more and more satisfied that there is no occasion for it;but abroad with my wife to the Temple, where I met with Auditor Wood'sclerk, and did some business with him, and so to see Mr. Spong, and foundhim out by Southampton Market, and there carried my wife, and up to hischamber, a bye place, but with a good prospect of the fields; and there Ihad most infinite pleasure, not only with his ingenuity in general, but inparticular with his shewing me the use of the Parallelogram, by which hedrew in a quarter of an hour before me, in little, from a great, a mostneat map of England--that is, all the outlines, which gives me infinitepleasure, and foresight of pleasure, I shall have with it; and thereforedesire to have that which I have bespoke, made. Many other pretty thingshe showed us, and did give me a glass bubble, to try the strength ofliquors with. 

 [This seems to refer to the first form of the Hon. Robert Boyle's hydrometer, which he described in a paper in the "Philosophical Transactions" for June, 1675, under the title of a "New Essay instrument. " In this paper the author refers to a glass instrument exhibited many years before by himself, "consisting of a bubble furnished with a long and slender stem, which was to be put into several liquors to compare and estimate their specific gravity. " Boyle describes this glass bubble in a paper in "Philosophical Transactions, " vol. Iv. , No. 50, p. 1001, 1669, entitled, "The Weights of Water in Water with ordinary Balances and Weights. "]

This done, and having spent 6d. In ale in the coach, at the door of theBull Inn, with the innocent master of the house, a Yorkshireman, for hisletting us go through his house, we away to Hercules Pillars, and thereeat a bit of meat: and so, with all speed, back to the Duke of York'shouse, where mighty full again; but we come time enough to have a goodplace in the pit, and did hear this new play again, where, though I betterunderstood it than before, yet my sense of it and pleasure was just thesame as yesterday, and no more, nor any body else's about us. So took ourcoach and home, having now little pleasure to look about me to see thefine faces, for fear of displeasing my wife, whom I take great comfortnow, more than ever, in pleasing; and it is a real joy to me. So home, andto my Office, where spent an hour or two; and so home to my wife, tosupper and talk, and so to bed. 

10th. Up, and to the Office, where busy all the morning: Middleton notthere, so no words or looks of him. At noon, home to dinner; and so tothe Office, and there all the afternoon busy; and at night W. Hewer homewith me; and we think we have got matter enough to make Middleton appear acoxcomb. But it troubled me to have Sir W. Warren meet me at night, goingout of the Office home, and tell me that Middleton do intend to complainto the Duke of York: but, upon consideration of the business, I did go tobed, satisfied that it was best for me that he should; and so my troublewas over, and to bed, and slept well. 

11th. Up, and with W. Hewer by water to Somerset House; and there I to myLord Brouncker, before he went forth to the Duke of York, and there toldhim my confidence that I should make Middleton appear a fool, and that itwas, I thought, best for me to complain of the wrong he hath done; butbrought it about, that my Lord desired me I would forbear, and promisedthat he would prevent Middleton till I had given in my answer to theBoard, which I desired: and so away to White Hall, and there did our usualattendance and no word spoke before the Duke of York by Middleton at all;at which I was glad to my heart, because by this means I have time to drawup my answer to my mind. So with W. Hewer by coach to Smithfield, but metnot Mr. Dickering, he being not come, and so he [Will] and I to a cook'sshop, in Aldersgate Street; and dined well for 19 1/2 d. , upon roast beef, pleasing ourselves with the infinite strength we have to prove Middleton acoxcomb; and so, having dined, we back to Smithfield, and there metDickering, and up and down all the afternoon about horses, and did see theknaveries and tricks of jockeys. Here I met W. Joyce, who troubled mewith his impertinencies a great while, and the like Mr. Knepp, who, itseems, is a kind of a jockey, and would fain have been doing something forme, but I avoided him, and the more for fear of being troubled therebywith his wife, whom I desire but dare not see, for my vow to my wife. Atlast went away and did nothing, only concluded upon giving L50 for a finepair of black horses we saw this day se'nnight; and so set Mr. Dickeringdown near his house, whom I am much beholden to, for his care herein, andhe hath admirable skill, I perceive, in this business, and so home, andspent the evening talking and merry, my mind at good ease, and so to bed. 

12th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon home todinner, and so the like mighty busy, late, all the afternoon, that I mightbe ready to go to the drawing up of my answer to Middleton to-morrow, andtherefore home to supper and to bed. I hear this day that there is fallendown a new house, not quite finished, in Lumbard Street, and that therehave been several so, they making use of bad mortar and bricks; but nohurt yet, as God hath ordered it. This day was brought home my pair ofblack coach-horses, the first I ever was master of. They cost me L50, andare a fine pair. 

13th (Lord's day). Up, and with W. Hewer to the Office, where all themorning, and then home to a little dinner, and presently to it again allalone till twelve at night, drawing up my answer to Middleton, which Ithink I shall do to very good purpose--at least, I satisfy myself therein;and so to bed, weary with walking in my Office dictating to him [Hewer]. In the night my wife very ill, vomited, but was well again by and by. 

14th. Up, and by water to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier, where, among other things, a silly account of a falling out between Norwood, atTangier, and Mr. Bland, the mayor, who is fled to Cales [Cadiz]. Hiscomplaint is ill-worded, and the other's defence the most ridiculous thatever I saw; and so everybody else that was there, thought it; but neverdid I see so great an instance of the use of grammar, and knowledge how totell a man's tale as this day, Bland having spoiled his business byill-telling it, who had work to have made himself notorious by hismastering Norwood, his enemy, if he had known how to have used it. Thencecalling Smith, the Auditor's clerk at the Temple, I by the Exchange home, and there looked over my Tangier accounts with him, and so to dinner, andthen set him down again by a hackney, my coachman being this day aboutbreaking of my horses to the coach, they having never yet drawn. Left mywife at Unthank's, and I to the Treasury, where we waited on the LordsCommissioners about Sir D. Gawden's matters, and so took her up again atnight, and home to the office, and so home with W. Hewer, and to talkabout our quarrel with Middleton, and so to supper and to bed. This day Ihear, and am glad, that the King hath prorogued the Parliament to Octobernext; and, among other reasons, it will give me time to go to France, Ihope. 

15th. Up, and to the Office, where sat all the morning, and the newTreasurers there; and, for my life, I cannot keep Sir J. Minnes and othersof the Board from shewing our weakness, to the dishonour of the Board, though I am not concerned but it do vex me to the heart to have it beforethese people, that would be glad to find out all our weaknesses. At noonMrs. Mary Batelier with us, and so, after dinner, I with W. Hewer all theafternoon till night beginning to draw up our answer to Middleton, and itproves troublesome, because I have so much in my head at a time to say, but I must go through with it. So at night to supper and to bed. 

16th. I did the like all day long, only a little at dinner, and so towork again, and were at it till 2 in the morning, and so W. Hewer, who waswith me all day, home to his lodging, and I to bed, after we had finishedit. 

17th. Up, and set my man Gibson and Mr. Fists to work to write it overfair, while I all the morning at the office sitting. At noon home tothem, and all the afternoon looking over them and examining with W. Hewer, and so about to at night I to bed, leaving them to finish the writing itfair, which they did by sitting up most of the night, and so home to bed. 

18th. All the morning at the office about Sir W. Warren's accounts, mymind full of my business, having before we met gone to Lord Brouncker, andgot him to read over my paper, who owns most absolute content in it, andthe advantage I have in it, and the folly of the Surveyor. At noon hometo dinner; and then again to the office a while, and so by hackney coachto Brooke House, and there spoke with Colonel Thomson, I by order carryingthem [the Commissioners of Accounts] our Contract-books, from thebeginning to the end of the late war. I found him finding of errors in aship's book, where he shewed me many, which must end in the ruin, I doubt, of the Controller, who found them not out in the pay of the ship, or thewhole Office. But I took little notice of them to concern myself in them, but so leaving my books I home to the Office, where the office met, andafter some other business done, fell to mine, which the Surveyor begun tobe a little brisk at the beginning; but when I come to the point to touchhim, which I had all the advantages in the world to do, he become as calmas a lamb, and owned, as the whole Board did, their satisfaction, andcried excuse: and so all made friends; and their acknowledgment put intowriting, and delivered into Sir J. Minnes's hand, to be kept there for theuse of the Board, or me, when I shall call for it; they desiring it mightbe so, that I might not make use of it to the prejudice of the Surveyor, whom I had an advantage over, by his extraordinary folly in this matter. But, besides this, I have no small advantage got by this business, as Ihave put several things into my letter which I should otherwise havewanted an opportunity of saying, which pleases me mightily. So Middletondesiring to be friends, I forgave him; and all mighty quiet, and fell totalk of other stories, and there staid, all of us, till nine or ten atnight, more than ever we did in our lives before, together. And so home, where I have a new fight to fight with my wife, who is under new troubleby some news she hath heard of Deb. 's being mighty fine, and gives outthat she has a friend that gives her money, and this my wife believes tobe me, and, poor wretch! I cannot blame her, and therefore she run intomighty extremes; but I did pacify all, and were mighty good friends, andto bed, and I hope it will be our last struggle from this business, for Iam resolved never to give any new occasion, and great peace I find in mymind by it. So to supper, she and I to bed. 

19th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and at noon, eatingvery little dinner, my wife and I by hackney to the King's playhouse, andthere, the pit being full, satin a box above, and saw "Catiline'sConspiracy, " yesterday being the first day: a play of much good sense andwords to read, but that do appear the worst upon the stage, I mean, theleast diverting, that ever I saw any, though most fine in clothes; and afine scene of the Senate, and of a fight, that ever I saw in my life. Butthe play is only to be read, and therefore home, with no pleasure at all, but only in sitting next to Betty Hall, that did belong to this house, andwas Sir Philip Howard's mistress; a mighty pretty wench, though my wifewill not think so; and I dare neither commend, nor be seen to look uponher, or any other now, for fear of offending her. So, our own coachcoming for us, home, and to end letters, and so home, my wife to read tome out of "The Siege of Rhodes, " and so to supper, and to bed. 

20th (Lord's day). Up, and with my wife to church, and then home, andthere found W. Joyce come to dine with me, as troublesome a talkingcoxcombe as ever he was, and yet once in a year I like him well enough. Inthe afternoon my wife and W. Hewer and I to White Hall, where they set medown and staid till I had been with the Duke of York, with the rest of usof the Office, and did a little business, and then the Duke of York ingood humour did fall to tell us many fine stories of the wars in Flanders, and how the Spaniards are the [best] disciplined foot in the world; willrefuse no extraordinary service if commanded, but scorn to be paid for it, as in other countries, though at the same time they will beg in thestreets: not a soldier will carry you a cloak-bag for money for the world, though he will beg a penny, and will do the thing, if commanded by hisCommander. That, in the citadel of Antwerp, a soldier hath not a libertyof begging till he hath served three years. They will cry out againsttheir King and Commanders and Generals, none like them in the world, andyet will not hear a stranger say a word of them but he will cut histhroat. That, upon a time, some of the Commanders of their armyexclaiming against their Generals, and particularly the Marquis deCaranen, the Confessor of the Marquis coming by and hearing them, he stopsand gravely tells them that the three great trades of the world are, thelawyers, who govern the world; the churchmen, who enjoy the world; and asort of fools whom they call souldiers, who make it their work to defendthe world. He told us, too, that Turenne being now become a Catholique, he is likely to get over the head of Colbert, their interests beingcontrary; the latter to promote trade

 [This reminds us of the famous reply, 'Laissez nous affaire', made to Colbert by the French merchants, whose interests he thought to promote by laws and regulations. --B. ]

and the sea, which, says the Duke of York, is that that we have most causeto fear; and Turenne to employ the King and his forces by land, toencrease his conquests. Thence to the coach to my wife, and so home, andthere with W. Hewer to my office and to do some business, and so set downmy Journall for four or five days, and then home to supper and read alittle, and to bed. W. Hewer tells me to-day that he hears that the Kingof France hath declared in print, that he do intend this next summer toforbid his Commanders to strike--[Strike topsails]--to us, but that bothwe and the Dutch shall strike to him; and that he hath made his captainsswear it already, that they will observe it: which is a great thing if hedo it, as I know nothing to hinder him. 

21st. My own coach carrying me and my boy Tom, who goes with me in theroom of W. Hewer, who could not, and I dare not go alone, to the Temple, and there set me down, the first time my fine horses ever carried me, andI am mighty proud of them, and there took a hackney and to White Hall, where a Committee of Tangier, but little to do, and so away home, callingat the Exchange and buying several little things, and so home, and theredined with my wife and people and then she, and W. Hewer, and I byappointment out with our coach, but the old horses, not daring yet to usethe others too much, but only to enter them, and to the Temple, there tocall Talbot Pepys, and took him up, and first went into Holborne, andthere saw the woman that is to be seen with a beard. She is a littleplain woman, a Dane: her name, Ursula Dyan; about forty years old; hervoice like a little girl's; with a beard as much as any man I ever saw, black almost, and grizly; they offered to shew my wife furthersatisfaction if she desired it, refusing it to men that desired it there, but there is no doubt but by her voice she is a woman; it begun to grow atabout seven years old, and was shaved not above seven months ago, and isnow so big as any man's almost that ever I saw; I say, bushy and thick. It was a strange sight to me, I confess, and what pleased me mightily. Thence to the Duke's playhouse, and saw "Macbeth. " The King and Courtthere; and we sat just under them and my Lady Castlemayne, and close tothe woman that comes into the pit, a kind of a loose gossip, that pretendsto be like her, and is so, something. And my wife, by my troth, appeared, I think, as pretty as any of them; I never thought so much before; and sodid Talbot and W. Hewer, as they said, I heard, to one another. The Kingand Duke of York minded me, and smiled upon me, at the handsome woman nearme but it vexed me to see Moll Davis, in the box over the King's and myLady Castlemayne's head, look down upon the King, and he up to her; and sodid my Lady Castlemayne once, to see who it was; but when she saw her, shelooked like fire; which troubled me. The play done, took leave of Talbot, who goes into the country this Christmas, and so we home, and there I towork at the office late, and so home to supper and to bed. 

22nd. At the office all the morning, and at noon to the 'Change, thinkingto meet with Langford about my father's house in Fleet Streete, but I cometoo late, and so home to dinner, and all the afternoon at the office busy, and at night home to supper and talk, and with mighty content with mywife, and so to bed. 

23rd. Met at the Office all the morning, and at noon to the 'Change, andthere met with Langford and Mr. Franke, the landlord of my father's housein Fleet Streete, and are come to an arbitration what my father shall givehim to be freed of his lease and building the house again. Walked up anddown the 'Change, and among others discoursed with Sir John Bankes, whothinks this prorogation will please all but the Parliament itself, whichwill, if ever they meet, be vexed at Buckingham, who yet governs all. Hesays the Nonconformists are glad of it, and, he believes, will get theupperhand in a little time, for the King must trust to them or nobody; andhe thinks the King will be forced to it. He says that Sir D. Gawden ismightily troubled at Pen's being put upon him, by the Duke of York, andthat he believes he will get clear of it, which, though it will trouble meto have Pen still at the Office, yet I shall think D. Gawden do well init, and what I would advise him to, because I love him. So home todinner, and then with my wife alone abroad, with our new horses, thebeautifullest almost that ever I saw, and the first time they ever carriedher, and me but once; but we are mighty proud of them. To her tailor's, and so to the 'Change, and laid out three or four pounds in lace, for herand me; and so home, and there I up to my Lord Brouncker, at his lodgings, and sat with him an hour, on purpose to talk over the wretched state ofthis Office at present, according to the present hands it is made up of;wherein he do fully concur with me, and that it is our part not only toprepare for defending it and ourselves, against the consequences of it, but to take the best ways we can, to make it known to the Duke of York;for, till Sir J. Minnes be removed, and a sufficient man brought into W. Pen's place, when he is gone, it is impossible for this Office ever tosupport itself. So home, and to supper and to bed. 

24th. A cold day. Up, and to the Office, where all the morning alone atthe Office, nobody meeting, being the eve of Christmas. At noon home todinner, and then to the Office busy, all the afternoon, and at night hometo supper, and it being now very cold, and in hopes of a frost, I beginthis night to put on a waistcoat, it being the first winter in my wholememory that ever I staid till this day before I did so. So to bed inmighty good humour with my wife, but sad, in one thing, and that is for mypoor eyes. 

25th (Christmas-day). Up, and continued on my waistcoat, the first daythis winter, and I to church, where Alderman Backewell, coming in late, Ibeckoned to his lady to come up to us, who did, with another lady; andafter sermon, I led her down through the church to her husband and coach, a noble, fine woman, and a good one, and one my wife shall be acquaintedwith. So home, and to dinner alone with my wife, who, poor wretch! satundressed all day, till ten at night, altering and lacing of a noblepetticoat: while I by her, making the boy read to me the Life of JuliusCaesar, and Des Cartes' book of Musick

 ["Musicae Compendium. " By Rene Des Cartes, Amsterdam, 1617; rendered into English, London, 1653, 4to. The translator, whose name did not appear on the title, was William, Viscount Brouncker, Pepys's colleague, who proved his knowledge of music by the performance. ]

--the latter of which I understand not, nor think he did well that writit, though a most learned man. Then, after supper, I made the boy playupon his lute, which I have not done twice before since he come to me; andso, my mind in mighty content, we to bed. 

26th. Lay long with pleasure, prating with my wife, and then up, and I alittle to the Office, and my head busy setting some papers and accounts torights, which being long neglected because of my eyes will take me up muchtime and care to do, but it must be done. So home at noon to dinner, andthen abroad with my wife to a play, at the Duke of York's house, the housefull of ordinary citizens. The play was "Women Pleased, " which we hadnever seen before; and, though but indifferent, yet there is a good designfor a good play. So home, and there to talk, and my wife to read to me, and so to bed. 

27th (Lord's day). Walked to White Hall and there saw the King at chapel;but staid not to hear anything, but went to walk in the Park, with W. Hewer, who was with me; and there, among others, met with Sir G. Downing, and walked with him an hour, talking of business, and how the late war wasmanaged, there being nobody to take care of it, and telling how, when hewas in Holland, what he offered the King to do, if he might have power, and they would give him power, and then, upon the least word, perhaps of awoman, to the King, he was contradicted again, and particularly to theloss of all that we lost in Guinny. He told me that he had so good spies, that he hath had the keys taken out of De Witt's

 [The celebrated John de Witt, Grand Pensionary of Holland, who, a few years afterwards, was massacred, with his brother Cornelius, by the Dutch mob, enraged at their opposition to the elevation of William of Orange to the Stadtholdership, when the States were overrun by the French army, and the Dutch fleets beaten at sea by the English. The murder of the De Witts forms one of the main incidents of Alexandre Dumas's "Black Tulip. "]

pocket when he was a-bed, and his closet opened, and papers brought tohim, and left in his hands for an hour, and carried back and laid in theplace again, and keys put into his pocket again. He says that he hathalways had their most private debates, that have been but between two orthree of the chief of them, brought to him in an hour after, and an hourafter that, hath sent word thereof to the King, but nobody here regardedthem. But he tells me the sad news, that he is out of all expectationsthat ever the debts of the Navy will be paid, if the Parliament do notenable the King to do it by money; all they can hope for to do out of theKing's revenue being but to keep our wheels a-going on present services, and, if they can, to cut off the growing interest: which is a sad story, and grieves me to the heart. So home, my coach coming for me, and therefind Balty and Mr. How, who dined with me; and there my wife and I fellout a little about the foulness of the linen of the table, but werefriends presently, but she cried, poor heart! which I was troubled for, though I did not give her one hard word. Dinner done, she to church, andW. How and I all the afternoon talking together about my Lord Sandwich'ssuffering his business of the prizes to be managed by Sir R. Cuttance, whois so deep in the business, more than my Lord knows of, and such aloggerhead, and under such prejudice, that he will, we doubt, do my Lordmuch wrong. In the evening, he gone, my wife to read to me and talk, andspent the evening with much pleasure, and so to supper and to bed. 

28th. Up, called up by drums and trumpets; these things and boxes [??]having cost me much money this Christmas already, and will do more. Mywife down by water to see her mother, and I with W. Hewer all day togetherin my closet making some advance in the settling of my accounts, whichhave been so long unevened that it troubles me how to set them right, having not the use of my eyes to help me. My wife at night home, andtells me how much her mother prays for me and is troubled for my eyes; andI am glad to have friendship with them, and believe they are truly glad tosee their daughter come to live so well as she do. So spent the night intalking, and so to supper and to bed. 

29th. Up, and at the Office all the morning, and at noon to dinner, andthere, by a pleasant mistake, find my uncle and aunt Wight, and three moreof their company, come to dine with me to-day, thinking that they had beeninvited, which they were not; but yet we did give them a pretty gooddinner, and mighty merry at the mistake. They sat most of the afternoonwith us, and then parted, and my wife and I out, thinking to have gone toa play, but it was too far begun, and so to the 'Change, and there she andI bought several things, and so home, with much pleasure talking, and thento reading, and so to supper and to bed. 

30th. Up, and vexed a little to be forced to pay 40s. For a glass of mycoach, which was broke the other day, nobody knows how, within the door, while it was down; but I do doubt that I did break it myself with myknees. After dinner, my wife and I to the Duke's playhouse, and there didsee King Harry the Eighth; and was mightily pleased, better than I everexpected, with the history and shows of it. We happened to sit by Mr. Andrews, our neighbour, and his wife, who talked so fondly to his littleboy. Thence my wife and I to the 'Change; but, in going, our neere horsedid fling himself, kicking of the coachbox over the pole; and a great dealof trouble it was to get him right again, and we forced to 'light, and ingreat fear of spoiling the horse, but there was no hurt. So to the'Change, and then home, and there spent the evening talking, and so tosupper and to bed. 

31st. Up, and at the Office all the morning. At noon Capt. Ferrers andMr. Sheres

 [Henry Sheres accompanied Lord Sandwich in his embassy to Spain, and returned to England in September, 1667, bearing letters from the ambassador (see September 8th, 22nd, 27th). He was an officer in the Ordnance, and served under Lord Dartmouth at the demolition of the Mole at Tangier in 1683. He was knighted about 1684. He translated Polybius (2 vols. 8vo. , 1693), and also some of the "Dialogues" of Lucian, included in the translation published in 1711 (3 vols. 8vo. ). Pepys bequeathed him a ring, and he died about 1713. ]

come to me to dinner, who did, and pretty pleased with their talk ofSpayne; but my wife did not come down, I suppose because she would not, Captain Ferrers being there, to oblige me by it. They gone, after dinner, I to the office, and then in the evening home, being the last day of theyear, to endeavour to pay all bills and servants' wages, &c. , which I didalmost to L5 that I know that I owe in the world, but to the publique; andso with great pleasure to supper and to bed, and, blessed be God! the yearends, after some late very great sorrow with my wife by my folly, yetends, I say, with great mutual peace and content, and likely to last so bymy care, who am resolved to enjoy the sweet of it, which I now possess, bynever giving her like cause of trouble. My greatest trouble is now fromthe backwardness of my accounts, which I have not seen the bottom of nownear these two years, so that I know not in what condition I am in theworld, but by the grace of God, as far as my eyes will give me leave, Iwill do it. 

 ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

 Craft and cunning concerning the buying and choosing of horses Did see the knaveries and tricks of jockeys Hath not a liberty of begging till he hath served three years He told me that he had so good spies Laissez nous affaire--Colbert Nonconformists do now preach openly in houses Offered to shew my wife further satisfaction if she desired Seeing that he cared so little if he was out Tell me that I speak in my dreams